Shyu's Story
by LordGodsServant
Summary: Shyu the Fire Sage's story after his appearance in the one Episode "The Solstice: Avatar Roku."  Just what I think would've been cool if it had happened.


_Just what I think would've been cool if it had happened. Shyu seemed to drop off the face of the Earth after his one appearance in the Solstice episode._

* * *

Shyu fully expected to go to prison for his supposed crime. The Firelord did not disappoint. He was sent to the Boiling Rock along with the other Fire Sages. Hiro, the leader among them, acted as if Shyu didn't exist. The others where willing to at least talk to him. Their faith in the Fire Nation had been severely shaken when the Firelord had sent them to prison without even allowing them to defend themselves. Shyu practiced his Firebending and waited for news.

He heard that the Avatar had repelled the Northern Water Tribe Invasion and that Admiral Zhao had been killed. He rejoiced at the news, and all the others, besides Hiro, joined him a few weeks later. They, somewhere in their heads, had expected someone to reconsider their guilt with Admiral Zhao now out of the picture. When this failed to happen they joined him in the ideal that they had to support the Avatar.

Months passed, and then the tragic news came, the Avatar was dead. Shyu's hope died. He had known that the Avatar was boy, yet to reach adulthood. But he had also seen great potential inherit in him. Firebenders, if they concentrated, sense the potential for Firebending called the Inner Fire. Aang's had already been so strong it was a marvel he didn't merely burst into flame. If his other bending talent had been so strong Shyu had thought he had had little to worry about.

But the fact remained that the Avatar had been killed and the Fire Nation had taken control of Ba Sing Se to boot. The war was as good as over. But it seemed that the Earth Kingdom still had some fight left in it as the Earthbenders across the kingdom rebelled. Then came another stroke of good news.

The Eclipse came and went and Shyu didn't think much of it. It happened periodically and the Firebenders took such a time to gain greater appreciation for life without bending. It helped them find perspective from the view of one without bending abilities. But the idea of an invasion on such a scale during the Eclipse wasn't one that had ever really been taken seriously by the Sages.

Even though it failed, Shyu saw the fact that such a thing could happen as a hopeful sign. Then he heard the news that Omashu had been retaken and by just the captured king. Shyu's spirits flew higher. He also heard that the Prince had defied his father and had left to join the Avatar. Sozin's line was being restored.

As if some spirit wished to build his confidence to untold levels the word came through and shocked yet excited Shyu. The Avatar was alive! He waited with baited breath, counting down the days before the Comet's arrival. It occurred in a few weeks.

He heard one day that Chit Sang had attempted to escape. He was caught and recaptured. Then, a day later a lockdown occurred. But unexpectedly, the doors to all the cells suddenly opened. Shyu found the other sages besides Hiro and they began walking towards the yard. Then they heard a commotion and Shyu knew that a riot was taking place. Then he heard heavy breathing and saw a prisoner dash out of a cell and slam it shut. He looked with a pained expression into it and then began running down the walkway towards Shyu. Then he saw the scar and knew who it was.

"Prince Zuko!"

The Prince stopped and fell into a Firebending pose, clearly ready to fight.

"No, you probably don't remember me but I am the Fire Sage that defied the others in order to help the Avatar at Roku's temple."

Zuko's eyes widened with reckognition.

"Yes I remember and apologize for my actions but I'm in a hurry!"

"Is the Avatar here?"

"No, I came here with the Water Tribe boy to find prisoners from the failed invasion. We found two prisoners and are trying to escape right now!"

"We'll help you, there's strength in numbers."

Zuko nodded and they all ran through the halls. They neared the courtyard but just as they where running down the last long hallway a long line of guards came around the far corner.

"IT'S THE PRINCE, CAPTURE HIM!"

Zuko got ready to fight but Shyu said "no Prince Zuko, go! We shall hold them as long as we can!"

"But-!"

"When the Avatar wins you must be ready to ascend to the throne, we shall be alright! Go!"

After a moment Zuko nodded and ran into the courtyard. Shyu and the others blasted fire down the halls at the guards and a close quarter's firebending duel occurred. They where all being hard pressed when suddenly Hiro appeared and saw what was happening. He looked from one side to the next and then leapt into the fray and began striking out at the guards.

Eventually they all where overborne and tied up but by then it was too late for the guards. The Prince had already escaped with the prisoners.

The Warden was too caught up in the jailing of his favorite niece to care about why the main force of guards was prevented from entering the yard until it was too late, so one of his subordinates slapped the four with time in the cooler for a week. It was far less than what they had expected so they felt extremely pleased with themselves.

Once, when Shyu was alone he was approached by Hiro who said "Shyu . . . I came to apologize . . . you where right, we Fire Sages forgot our duty to the Avatar and you were right to defy us. The Firelord has shown himself unworthy of our loyalty. Please forgive me for my arrogance."

Shyu smiled and said "all is forgiven friend. Now I think that we must help in any way we can."

"What did you have in mind?"

"The Comet approaches. The Fire Nation is most likely stretched for troops in consolidating control of the Earth Kingdom. That coupled with the loss of Omashu and I think we could cause some good trouble back here."

"How so?"

"By diverting time and energy into making sure prisoners are kept in the prison. We should cause as much havoc as possible to thin up the troops the Avatar and his forces shall have to face as much as we can."

Hiro agreed and the sages began committing sabotage as best they could. First it was as simple as knocking out guards who were alone and burning their outfits. But from there it grew. They managed to swipe the key from another guard and burn a good deal of the uniforms the guards wore. They kept a good deal and hid them too. People began to join and in a week or two they had a good system working.

One night an Airship flew in to resupply for a journey to the front and they shipped in some supplies of their own. Those same supplies would later prove instrumental to Shyu's plans. One of the prisoners in their group was a girl extremely adept at hiding and gathering intelligence. She told them that several barrels of Blasting Jelly had been part of the shipment and that she was confident she could swipe them.

She wouldn't be able to hold onto them though but Shyu came up with a plan that didn't require them to be gone for a very long time. One night they used some keys that the girl had swiped and grabbed the jelly. They rushed down a path they had preplanned and laid the jelly inside one of the walls. They lit a fuse and rushed back to their cells.

5 minutes later, the explosion occurred and it rent a large hole in the wall. If nothing they had done before convinced the Warden he needed more troops, the explosion did the trick. He placed a massive troop order and, him being an important man, it was granted. He cracked down on the prison rules.

The Comet was only a week away and Shyu came up with their most daring plan yet, to escape on the Comet's arrival. 2/3's of the guards weren't Firebenders and Shyu planned to use that to his advantage. On the day of the Comet's arrival they would break into the control room and would release every prisoner. They would then start a riot and take the Gondala away. An Airship was docked at the island and would be so until a week after the Comet's arrival. The men inside it had mostly been called to the prison to help enforce the rules so it was sure to be almost unoccupied. Several of the prisoners in their group had been Engineers that had worked on the ships but had been accused of sabotage. Whether that was true or not Shyu didn't know but he trusted them and needed them as well.

Shyu didn't know if the Avatar would win fully and totally on the Comet or would just stop Ozai from whatever master plan he was going to unleash. He wished to help Aang if he didn't completely defeat the Fire Nation so that was why he planned to go through with his idea. There was some objection but it was quickly cast aside after most agreed with the plan.

The day of the Comet arrived and they completed the first part of their plan. The prisoners poured into the yard and they joined them. Then Shyu and Hiro began a fake-yet-convincing argument in which they deliberately Firebended so it would hit the crowd. It had the desired effect and another riot broke out.

They fought their way up to the Gondalas and piled in. Shyu had never felt such power and used it fully to his advantage. The Sages all stood on top of their Gondala and in unison hurled fireballs at the prison and blocked any incoming ones. The Prison was a war zone as prisoners, enhanced by the Comet, attempted to take vengeance on those that kept them in horrible conditions. Shyu wouldn't be surprised if there was no prison left standing after the day was done.

The Gondala reached the other side and they all sprinted to the airship. As they had expected, it was nearly deserted and they overwhelmed the few guards. They took off and set a course for the Fire Nation.

They landed on the first island and Shyu and a few others left the ship to find out the knew of what had happened concerning the Avatar. On the news bulletin in the middle of town he began reading and nearly leapt with joy, the Avatar had triumphed!

Prince Zuko was scheduled to be crowned Firelord soon and the Avatar was at the Capital so Shyu and the others hurried there. They landed and the Prince himself came out to see what was happening. Shyu could tell he was hurt by the way he moved but the Prince's face lit up when he saw Shyu. They shook hands and then the Avatar himself came.

"Shyu, I haven't seen you in awhile, I thought you were in prison?"

"I was. But some of my friends and I broke out of the Boiling Rock on the day of the Comet."

The other sages walked forward and prostrated themselves before Aang, professing their apologies. Aang forgave them and said "you'll have to tell me about it later. We're still preparing for Zuko's coronation. We still need to choo-."

Then Aangs face lit up with and idea and he whispered it to Zuko. Zuko thought for a moment and then said "yes, that would be appropriate."

Turning to the crowd in from of them he said "you all must be tired after your all your ordeals, please come and stay in the palace. Rooms shall be set aside for all of you and I shall make sure to order the official clearing of all your names."

Shyu began walking along with the crowd but Zuko said "Shyu, wait a minute. Their something I would like you to do."

Shyu listened, and agreed.

* * *

Shyu could not have thought in all of his days as a Fire Sage that he would be allotted this great honor. He hadn't been a high ranking member but he supposed that helping the Avatar when no one else would have given him a reputation.

He watched Prince Zuko and Avatar Aang coming out and knew that the world would be safe in both of their hands. Prince Zuko began his speech and Shyu marveled at how wise the man was. He was 16 years old and yet his experiences had given him wisdom that Shyu was certain would greatly benefit the nation. The Prince finished his speech ad Shyu, with great anticipation and awe at his role in this historic moment, held up the Firelord's headpiece.

He lowered it into the Prince's head while saying in a loud and proud voice "ALL HAIL FIRELORD ZUKO!"

The prince stood and walked forward. Then he beckoned for the Avatar to join him. The crowd cheered and Shyu joined in, along with his friends in the Fire Nation section of the crowd.

It was over . . . it was finally over . . . they had won.

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_I hope you liked it._


End file.
